Bark House
barkhouse.com
Pioneers made shingles out of Northern Michigan’s ubiquitous poplar trees. So did early cottagers. With their rugged, natural look (think: even more texture than cedar shingles) poplar-bark shingles are perfect for Up North homes. Since 1990, Highland Craftsmen, Inc., has been producing the shingles in the Blue Ridge Mountains out of waste product from the logging industry. Now the shingles, as well as the company’s entire Bark House line including rustic poplar railings, molding, mantels and floors, is available Up North through Northport Building Supply & Ace Hardware in Northport. "They’re peeled right off the log, sorted and kiln dried so that the moisture content is stable. The seasons won’t effect them," says Tim Sahs, owner of Northport Building Supply. Another plus, says Sahs, is that the shingles don’t need sealer or stain—they’ll weather a beautiful, uniform silvery gray. Contact Northport Building Supply at 231-386-5231. Find out more about Bark House products at barkhouse.com.